Intensification of photocatalytic hydrogen generation from glycerol under natural sunlight: Cocatalyst effects and solar applicability

Abstract

This study focuses on intensifying photocatalytic hydrogen generation from glycerol under natural sunlight, examining the effects of cocatalysts and solar applicability. Cocatalysts are commonly employed to enhance the separation of photo-generated charges, while sacrificial agents suppress electron-hole recombination. Utilizing crude glycerol and solar light for photocatalytic hydrogen generation presents a promising avenue. The main objective was to enhance H2 production from a glycerol-containing solution by selecting parameters and scaling up the process using various reactor types and research systems. The study investigated the applicability of natural sunlight for photocatalytic H2 production and examined the influence of organic impurities on H2 production from synthetic and real crude glycerol. Scaling up the process intensified the rate of hydrogen generation, with the highest production achieved using TiO2 loaded with 0.5% Pt under visible light irradiation. It was concluded that H2 can be generated by reducing protons from both water and glycerol, the sacrificial agent. Glycerol and water, in the presence of photodeposited Pt or Pd on TiO2 and light, are converted to H2 through photocatalytic water-splitting and light-induced oxidation of glycerol. The successful application of photocatalysts under natural sunlight for hydrogen production was confirmed, highlighting the potential for sustainable and scalable green hydrogen generation.